Binge eating/snacking

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TouchAsMarshmellows
TouchAsMarshmellows Posts: 25 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Why do I have such a hard time controlling my food intake right before and after dinner? No matter what time I eat dinner I end up snacking every 30 minutes before and after dinner until I go to bed. It terrible any tip on how I can control this problem?
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  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    Oh, also re: snacking:

    Experimentation may find you a food that you like well enough but kind of kills your appetite/doesn't make you want to keep eating, and isn't high calorie to start with.

    For me: Raw green vegetables or low sodium v8. I consume either of those for whatever reason my brain is just DONE with the idea of me continuing to eat.
  • futuresylph
    futuresylph Posts: 2,178 Member
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    I'm a night snacker by inclination, too. A couple of things that help me:
    1. Cleaning up the kitchen right after dinner. A clean kitchen with the light off and the dishwasher running signals to me that the room is closed for the night.
    2. Brushing my teeth after cleaning the kitchen. Again, a subtle signal that eating has stopped for the day.
  • ehju0901
    ehju0901 Posts: 353 Member
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    Beverages work for me. I usually have water or a zero/low calorie drink.

    Also, what are you snacking on? I try to stick to a fruit or veggie.
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
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    I am going to suggest two things I am familiar with, lack of protein, and habit.. But really you have to experiment to find what your body is telling you.

    Habitually, If I am even a little hungry at bedtime I won't be able to sleep. I also find, I sleep better with something in my stomach. When I started my path to wellness and weight loss, I struggled with this at first. I used to seriously binge eat at night right before bed. Now, I always allot myself a 150 calorie snack before bed (and a sugar free fudgsicle if I want it - I make homemade ones that are only 35 calories). I won't lie, it was still a struggle for little while. 150 calories is nothing to what I was eating before. But this has seriously helped make it possible for me to go to sleep without feeling empty.

    This to me is based in my having developed a habit my body is clinging to. In the past have you snacked more often? Have you recently lowered your normal calorie intake heavily? It could be your body is craving what it considers normal. Finding low calorie snacks is a big help for this. I use popcorn when needed - it is bulky and low calorie.

    As a binge eater, when I started my diet I was starving a lot. I tried adding tons of low calorie snacks to offset this initially. But this wasn't really working. So then I started splitting my lunch and dinner into two smaller meals. This actually helped a lot. So I was eating 5 small meals a day with less time between, rather than 3 larger, with longer time between. This cut my needing snack to nil, other than one before bed. It was like tricking my body into believing I was still binging, when really I am in a good deficit.

    Then as I started focusing on weight training I had to adjust my diet to have way more protein. As I did this, I also discovered I was less hungry. Protein makes us feel fuller, longer. This is more recent for me, so I haven't made any other changes yet, but I've even been considering I might even be able to go back to unsplit lunch and dinners. You may want to consider if you are lacking in protein earlier in the day and during dinner. You could try adding a high protein snack between lunch and dinner. I have put 3oz of tuna with some seasonings, and veg on half of a low carb (45 cal) tortilla, with some veggies for a low cal, high protein snack. I it is delicious, and generally under 150 calories..
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,291 Member
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    tinybutspiny wrote: »
    Why do I have such a hard time controlling my food intake right before and after dinner? No matter what time I eat dinner I end up snacking every 30 minutes before and after dinner until I go to bed. It terrible any tip on how I can control this problem?

    You’ve gotten good advice.
    Two things I will add. Eventually your habits will change and the urge to binge will be a great deal less, or disappear.

    And one of my tricks.
    I have a large dehydrator.

    Dehydrated veggies are awesome.
    I like dehydrated tomatoes. Sliced about a quarter inch and dried until crispy. The flavor is concentrated and the crunch satisfies well enough.

    Some other dehydrated veggies that work well: Cucumbers. Onions (believe it or not!) caramelize them in an instantpot first for an extra special treat. Spinach, steamed and dried on a silicone sheet. Then break into cracker sized pieces. Experiment. See what you like.

    Bonus? Fiber. Hoo Boy. The fiber.
  • TouchAsMarshmellows
    TouchAsMarshmellows Posts: 25 Member
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    Thank you so much for all of the wonderful advice, trick and what works for you stated my so many people above. I appreciate your ideas and I will incorporate everything and will let you all know how it works for me.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
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    ChaoticMoira wrote: »
    I am going to suggest two things I am familiar with, lack of protein, and habit.. But really you have to experiment to find what your body is telling you.

    Habitually, If I am even a little hungry at bedtime I won't be able to sleep. I also find, I sleep better with something in my stomach. When I started my path to wellness and weight loss, I struggled with this at first. I used to seriously binge eat at night right before bed. Now, I always allot myself a 150 calorie snack before bed (and a sugar free fudgsicle if I want it - I make homemade ones that are only 35 calories). I won't lie, it was still a struggle for little while. 150 calories is nothing to what I was eating before. But this has seriously helped make it possible for me to go to sleep without feeling empty.

    This to me is based in my having developed a habit my body is clinging to. In the past have you snacked more often? Have you recently lowered your normal calorie intake heavily? It could be your body is craving what it considers normal. Finding low calorie snacks is a big help for this. I use popcorn when needed - it is bulky and low calorie.

    As a binge eater, when I started my diet I was starving a lot. I tried adding tons of low calorie snacks to offset this initially. But this wasn't really working. So then I started splitting my lunch and dinner into two smaller meals. This actually helped a lot. So I was eating 5 small meals a day with less time between, rather than 3 larger, with longer time between. This cut my needing snack to nil, other than one before bed. It was like tricking my body into believing I was still binging, when really I am in a good deficit.

    Then as I started focusing on weight training I had to adjust my diet to have way more protein. As I did this, I also discovered I was less hungry. Protein makes us feel fuller, longer. This is more recent for me, so I haven't made any other changes yet, but I've even been considering I might even be able to go back to unsplit lunch and dinners. You may want to consider if you are lacking in protein earlier in the day and during dinner. You could try adding a high protein snack between lunch and dinner. I have put 3oz of tuna with some seasonings, and veg on half of a low carb (45 cal) tortilla, with some veggies for a low cal, high protein snack. I it is delicious, and generally under 150 calories..

    @ChaoticMoira , can you post your fudgesicle recipe please?
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
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    ChaoticMoira wrote: »
    icemom011 wrote: »
    @ChaoticMoira , can you post your fudgesicle recipe please?

    Sure. But just as fyi, it is a work in progress recipe. I have made 4 batches so far, and enjoyed each, but tweaked it each time too. I am still trying to perfect it. It is just nearly there though.
    • 2 cups 2% milk
    • 3 tbsp pure cocoa powder
    • sweetener of choice to equal 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
    • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
    • a pinch of salt

    I just warm the milk on the stove, whisking in the cocoa, and all other ingredients.
    Keep whisking so the milk doesn't scald.
    Bring it to a simmer, then it is done.
    Pour into molds.
    It makes 8 fudgsicles that go into 2.5 oz molds.

    I use erythritol as my sweetener. If you use aspartame, I would let the mixture cool before adding, because I have heard that it goes bitter when heated.

    These are firmer than store bought ones, and more cocoa flavoured rather than more creamy. You may want to start with 2 tbsp cocoa and taste before adding the third.. And adjust the sweetness accordingly as well.

    You can of course use any mold, but here is the one I use if you need one.

    http:/https://amazon.com/gp/product/B08XJS3NNY?pf_rd_r=6KWVRQMFM8PTFB65SK7H&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=de6db25d-ad32-4a3d-922e-24693492d26b&pd_rd_w=C8sQu&pd_rd_wg=8cD5L&ref_=pd_gw_unk/

    Let me know if you make them. :smile:


    Thank you!
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,002 Member
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    I sip on hot water at night. The pre dinner hunger is real. I try to eat early, like at 5.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    I’m going to throw out there that it’s not really about food or hunger. It’s probably about habits and self-soothing. Maybe try listening to the podcasts “Loosing 100 pounds” by Corrine Crabtree, and “HalfSize Me” to explore these sides of it, especially the after-dinner eating all night until bed.

    I think that’s your experience but honestly I am ravenous at dinner time!
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
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    cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »
    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    I’m going to throw out there that it’s not really about food or hunger. It’s probably about habits and self-soothing. Maybe try listening to the podcasts “Loosing 100 pounds” by Corrine Crabtree, and “HalfSize Me” to explore these sides of it, especially the after-dinner eating all night until bed.

    I think that’s your experience but honestly I am ravenous at dinner time!

    Well, perhaps explore your habits of how you feed yourself earlier in the day. How it is you come to be so ravenous at dinner time, that you (or one, I’m not saying you yourself, but whomever is reading this) feels you can’t control yourself around food for the 10-30 minutes it takes to make a meal. That’s what I’m saying. Explore the habits that can be changed to address the out-of-control feelings that plague a binge eater, that drive the guilt and shame behind a binge.

    Same with nighttime after dinner eating and snacking. It’s more often having to do with trying to soothe and calm an overactive brain than it is with hunger.

    I was just offering two freely available podcasts that often address binge eating behaviors in frank ways, and the thought process behind them. HalfSize Me gives great tips on how to structure new habits around it. Losing 100 with Corrine is great at addressing how to change the thought patterns we hold about it.

    But thanks for trying to shut me down. So kind of you.
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
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    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    Maybe try listening to the podcasts “Loosing 100 pounds” by Corrine Crabtree, and “HalfSize Me”

    Thanks for mentioning these. I have been looking for something for inspiration to help deal with my binge eating issues. I know why I do it, but I am hoping to find inspiration in finding ways to deal with it.

  • TouchAsMarshmellows
    TouchAsMarshmellows Posts: 25 Member
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    @Cheesy567 i think you hit something there. There is a reason why I binge eat in the evening or night, before or after dinner and it’s not hunger. So yeah, thanks for sharing that insight, I appreciate it!

  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 873 Member
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    I think there could be SO MANY reasons for binging/over-snacking.....it can be hard to pinpoint and can be trial and error.

    Are you actually hungry? Make sure to calculate your calorie goal as accurately as possible and that your deficit you have isn't very high. Make sure you are accurately weighing/measuring/logging the calories you are eating - and what you are burning if you're doing intentional exercise. Are you eating those calories back? --- all of that information can help you figure out if you're actually hungry or not. If you find that you are undereating or your deficit is super high....you're hungry. Remember that your calorie goal is a 'goal', not a number you should stay under. Calories are not bad - they are fuel for your body to do all the things it needs to...including burning fat and building muscle. First things first, make sure you're actually eating enough.

    Mental stuff --- are you bored, are you lonely, sad, anxious, depressed......etc. When you eat certain things (fat, salt, sugar....) your brain releases dopamine (and other brain goodies) so you want more....but that's stuff you've got to think about and work through yourself. Are you craving some sensory stimuli (CRUNCHY STUFF, lol)?

    Hydration - are you properly hydrated? What color is your urine? Are you getting enough electrolytes, is something imbalanced? If you think you feel hungry --- drink 8oz of water and wait. See if you're still hungry. A craving should pass in that time as well if that's what it is.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    As under eating can definitely lead to over eating, first make sure your calorie deficit isn't too large:

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg

    Then make sure you are hitting your protein and fiber minimums.

    I used to get very snacky in the afternoons, but increasing protein earlier and also exercising at lunch time fixed that.

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